The Bored DogHow to stop your dog being bored. Boredom in dogs leads to
undesired behaviours

The exasperated caller complained that his dog was escaping his yard, digging
and fence running. The dog was becoming a neighborhood nuisance and driving him
crazy. I pressed a bit and asked about the environment the dog lived in. All I
got was the dog had a yard to play in. I asked about toys, attention,
opportunity to get out with other dogs, etc. The owner grew silent. He thought
all a dog needed was a yard to run in.

Dogs need stimulation

Sadly, this is a common misconception. Dogs are not
lawn ornaments. Dogs without stimulation and left alone in yards grow
bored. Dogs are thinking creatures with natural instincts such as
digging, chasing, and socializing. Dogs are social creatures and do
best when part of a pack. We humans have to be this pack as we
make the decision to bring dogs into our lives. To deprive a dog use of
his basic instincts and social needs creates problems.

This dog was escaping the yard because he was bored. He had no
toys, little interaction and was developing undesired and even dangerous
behaviors. (What if a car came by the day he ran into the street or he attacked
someone's pet.) I explained in detail how the man could enrich his dog's life
and alleviate the boredom as well as stopping the developing "bad" behaviors.
Again, silence and then, "Well, the dog is too much work, maybe I should get rid
of him."

Recognize boredom in your dog

Obviously even simple steps to helping his dog were too much
for this owner. However, recognizing boredom and working to prevent it are part
of responsible dog owning. In zoos, creating a stimulating environment is called
"Enrichment." Moreover, at home, we must enrich.

Part of enriching our dogs' lives is proper socialization.
Living in the suburbs is great as we (and I am a suburban person) have the best
of both worlds. Yards and open space but the luxury of having shopping and other
amenities nearby! This should be a boon to our dogs! We can get them out and in
a variety of places so they learn about life and how to handle many situations.
I can go from wooded trails with wildlife to downtown Washington, D.C. within
twenty minutes! We also have yards and homes we can enrich to help our dogs not
be bored. However, living in the suburbs tends to make some dog owners lazy!

Should I walk my dog?

Many suburban, and to a greater extent
country, dogs lack
adequate socializing as owners have the luxury of a yard for the dogs to go out
in. Owners feel there is no need to walk the dogs. Personally, my dogs have
about 5,000 square feet fenced for their use. However, walks are vital for
socializing opportunities. How else can the dog learn that the world does not
have to be feared? It is amazing what dogs will view as a threat and either shy
from or snap at trying to escape that threat.

Often, I
get calls from people who will not walk
their dogs as the dogs lunge at bikes, other
dogs, etc. By denying the walks, the owner
is denying a great training and socializing
opportunity. The owner develops a cycle –
dog lunges, owner stops walks, and dog does
not learn to ignore bikes, owner tried again
in a few months hoping dog grew out if it,
dog lunges, owner stops walks… Getting the
dog out and building confidence in the
world, the dog becomes less likely to
respond adversely.

Dogs in the city

Dogs in the city, those that are well cared for, get several
walks a day. This means they are out and about various people, hear and see
traffic, learn to ignore bikes, walk over different surfaces and get to go to
dog parks! Though many think keeping dogs in the city is cruel, the opportunity
for the dog to be better socialized than a suburban or country dog is far
greater! From a socializing standpoint, city life can be wonderful! It is
amazing how many dogs I see in class who are bothered by simple things such as a
person in a hood or a flapping coat! Why? These dogs may never get to experience
them regularly. Some of the dogs that come through my classes have never even
been out of their yards. Yet in the suburbs, we have access to so many
opportunities and environments if we are just willing to take the time and get
out!

Bad behavior due to boredomDogs who are bored tend to develop destructive and
annoying behaviors such as barking, chewing, and digging. The dogs are not
getting back at humans; they are just trying to entertain themselves. Dogs who
spend all day alone and isolated from the pack may develop barking problems as
well as become escape artists. The owner views the dog as hard to handle, trying
to "get back at me" and refuse to take him out even more as a for of punishment
for not behaving. This does nothing but exacerbate the situation. The dog is not
being given the opportunity to learn and he is being even more socially
deprived.

The dog has no idea why he is being deprived or punished. All he knows is
frustration. Is this fair? When it comes to socializing, people in the suburbs
and country have to work harder and not allow themselves to fall into the rut of
abusing the yard!

Socialize your dog

One way to get dogs out and around other dogs in a social
environment is through training classes. Ideally, training in classes should
begin as soon as pup has completed his 12-week or ten-week shots depending on
the schedule your vet uses. (Some vets go 6, 9, 12 and others 6, 8, 10, but pup
should have three sets of shots before starting classes for his own health). A
good puppy-k program will emphasize socializing and give you ideas how to better
socialize pup. Even a good adult program will teach socializing and what should
be done. Another great way to socialize is through sports. Agility, Flyball and
such gets dogs active with other dogs and working around them. Another way to
socialize is going to dog parks. Many communities have them. And if not, have
friends with social dogs get together once a week for a play date at a house
with a fenced yard. Isolation from his own kind is misery for a dog.

Ideas to beat the dog boredomNow, what about enriching our own homes for our dogs? Dogs
view the world as a chew toy until we teach them what they can and cannot chew.
A dog that is totally deprived of stimulus will find his own entertainment. That
antique chair may fall victim to boredom and lack of training. The dog is not
bad or trying to get even, he is just trying to fill a void. There are a variety
of things we can do to fill this void and let our dogs act out the natural
behaviors of chasing, chewing, tearing and digging.

Toys and entertainersToys and bones you can fill with a tasty treat are one way
to alleviate boredom and let a dog be a dog. Kong toys, hollow bones and
such can be stuffed with a bit of spread cheese, spread meats, cheese
cubes, hot dog chunks, semi-soft dog treats, canned dog food, etc. The dog
gets to work and chew to get the treat out. If you hide these toys, the
dog gets to enjoy the hunt and seek for a reward. Sturdy chew toys (hard-pressed
rawhide, ropes, etc.) also allow for chewing. However, chewing is not enough to
alleviate boredom. A toilet paper or paper towel tube with some kibble put in it
and the ends crumpled allow the dog to tear into a toy. A clean milk jug with
the top off and kibble dropped in lets the dog throw, tear, and tackle. Buster
Cubes and similar toys have various compartments inside that kibbles rolls about
in. Sometimes the kibble comes out. Feed your dog one of his daily meals or
even both in this fashion (works well if you have a single dog, for multiple dogs
I use stuffed bones).

Games are great

Games of hide and seek are wonderful! One person hides and
another gets the dog to go find. Once the hiding person is found, a toy is
tossed for the dog. Alternatively, hide a toy for the dog to find. Start simple
(behind a chair in the same room) and buildup the complexity (up the stairs and down the hall and under a box in your
room). Take a bunch of plastic or paper cups and lay them out mouth down. Put a
treat under just one cup and encourage the dog to find the treat.

How about enriching our yards for our dogs? A strong rope tied to a tree with
heavy bungee cords lets the dog pull and tug. Big boxes make great tunnels and
many dogs will fit through the play tunnels sold at many human toy stores. Small
logs and lengths of PVC pipe (4" and 5" diameter) can be laid down for the dog
to walk and jump over while playing. (For safety, dogs under 12 – 18 months of
age should have all jumps very low). Make a digging area for your dog! Lay down
a 4'x4' box and fill it with a soft sand and dirt mix. Encourage your dog to dig
here and not in your garden. Use landscaping timbers to mark off the dog's
digging box. A toy buried or some kibble sprinkled over the area can help
redirect his digging from your Azaleas to his personal digging spot! Build a
couple platforms for your dog to jump on and crawl under (just keep away from
fences, as some dogs will learn to use these as means to escape).

Get out and play fetch with various toys to allow your dog to
engage in chasing behaviors. Take a box, hide treats in it and drag it
through the yard on a rope (you stay still, just drag the box). This
allows the dog to chase and tackle! These are all things that we can do to
help enrich our dogs' lives. In addition, if you have a higher- to high-energy
breed, these games are wonderful for burning off that energy! Get
creative. However, monitor toy use and if you suspect a toy is not suited
for your dog, do not use it. There is no toy ideal for all dogs and safety
with toys is essential!

Boredom in dogs leads to undesired behaviors. However,
enriching their environment, getting them socialized and understanding that we
make our dogs what they are goes a long way in making our lives together happy
and healthy.